What happened
On July 11, 2010, a de Havilland Beaver DHC-2 Mk.I, registration C-GAXL, was operating a flight from Lac des Quatre to Lac Margane, Quebec. The aircraft, operated by Air Saguenay (1980) Inc., was carrying one pilot and five passengers under visual flight rules (VFR).
Shortly after departing Lac des Quatre, the pilot encountered deteriorating weather and signaled an intention to perform a precautionary landing. At approximately 11:17 EDT, the aircraft struck a mountainside roughly 100 feet below the peak. The impact destroyed the aircraft and triggered a fire. The accident resulted in 3 fatalities and 2 injuries (one serious and one minor).
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and aircraft components, finding no evidence of mechanical failure, structural defects, or loss of engine power. The analysis focused on the pilot's decision-making and the environmental conditions.
While the weather at the initial departure from Lac Margane met VFR minimums, the conditions at Lac des Quatre had deteriorated. The cloud base was below 250 feet, which was below the legal requirements for VFR flight. The investigation also looked into the lack of an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal and the delay in initiating search efforts.
Findings
- The pilot elected to depart Lac des Quatre in weather conditions that did not meet the prescribed VFR minimums.
- Due to the late decision to land precautionarily, the aircraft entered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), leading to controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
- The pilot's attention was likely focused on maintaining visual references with the terrain, which may have caused him to miss a ground proximity warning on the GPS.
- One passenger was seated in a non-compliant seat that was not properly attached to the aircraft structure, leading to their ejection during the impact.
- The ELT failed to transmit a signal because it was damaged during the crash, and the operator's delay in notifying authorities contributed to a significant gap before search efforts began.